JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Cornell players jumped up and down near midcourt, exchanging chest-bumps and high-fives, then ran toward their fans.

And stood around.

Forgive those Ivy League guys for not knowing how to celebrate. After all, they’ve never experienced anything like this before. Then again, maybe they’re waiting for something bigger and better.

Either way, the Big Red made a big statement on college basketball’s biggest stage. They might have something for Big Blue!

Louis Dale scored 26 points, Ryan Wittman added 24 and No. 12 seed Cornell upset the fourth-seeded Badgers 87-69 on Sunday, becoming the first Ivy League school in more than 30 years to advance to the round of 16.

“You can’t sleep on us,” Dale said.

Nope, just ask the Badgers and Temple.

The Big Red (29-4) will play top-seeded Kentucky in the East Regional semifinal Thursday in Syracuse, N.Y., about an hour from Cornell’s campus. It could be a tough ticket, though, since Kentucky’s basketball-crazed fans got a head start when their team advanced Saturday.

“Maybe all the Syracuse fans bought tickets and can help us out,” said Cornell coach Steve Donahue, whose team played close games on the road this season against fellow No. 1 seeds Kansas and Syracuse.

Cornell wasted little time taking care of its end.

The Big Red controlled things from the opening tip, picking apart Wisconsin’s vaunted defense the same way they did Temple in the opening round.

Cornell had a 12-point lead early, a 20-point lead late and very few moments of concern in between. The lopsided affair should make for some interesting conversation this week at the “Dog Pound,” the nickname given to the three-story, off-campus house that 13 players and a team manager call home.

Cornell couldn’t miss to start this one. The Big Red made their first five shots. Wittman hit consecutive jumpers to set the tone. Cornell led 16-4 with a little more than 5 minutes gone and never looked back.

“It’s always tough to end your season this way,” Wisconsin’s Jordan Taylor said. “We thought we could go a little farther.”